Philosophy of language

1. Modern Theories & Functions of
Language – ENG621
By
Dr. Samina Nadeem
September 15, 2014.

2. Objectives
• Course details:
• The course aims to introduce
students to the philosophy of
language and general issues
related to this field. It reflects on
all the important basic theories
of language that were produced
in the past and were extended
to the present due to their
continuous application. It will
also project interdependence
between the field of language
and literature to promote the
use of language, its application
and the context for creating a
meaningful situation.
•To develop understanding of
the relation between
language and philosophy
•To explore some major
philosophers and their
philosophy of language
•To explore the theories and
functions of language
•To explore the application of
theoretical frameworks in
language and literature
studies

3. Program learning goals:
• Student Learning Outcomes:
• 1. Recognize theoretical approaches to
language and theories of language and
philosophy distinctly.
• 2. Identify language issues to give an
evaluative analysis
• 3. Critically analyze and review the works of
different linguists and theorists.
• 4. Practically apply the knowledge to
different genre for a comprehensive
understanding of the course
• 5. Develop and propose some measures to
link various philosophies with other modern
language in use
• 6. Present a well-argued and logically
structured research proposal orally and in a form
of a written report.
1) Specialist knowledge: Students will
have the ability to understand and
apply a substantial body of knowledge
at the frontier of the relevant field.
2) Research capability: Students will
have the ability to undertake research
that makes an original contribution in
the relevant field.
3) Communication: Students will have
the ability to communicate research
effectively in the scholarly community.

4. Introduction to Language and
Philosophy
• Communicative Functions of Language
• Communication and Performance
• Mind and Language
• Traditions in Philosophy of Language
• Philosophical models of language learning
• Conversation analysis

5. Communicative Functions of Language
• Karl Buhler (1933-34)
- Three distinct elements: sender-recipient-topic
- Termed them as: expression (emotive)-appeal-representation
(descriptive function)
- Speech acts to exemplify functions:
- 1st ;Assertion: The cat is on the mat.
- 2nd ; Grammatical: interjections (oh, ouch, ahha)
- 3rd ; Vocative/imperative: Hey you, My friend, go,
listen

6. Functions ……….cont.
• Habermas (1992) / Jakobson (1990)
- Intentionistic (semantics)-formal semantics- social
pragmatics (use-theory of meanings)
or / expression-representation-appeal
Eg: I assert that the cat is on the mat. (explicit)
* yes/no attitude (implicit attitude of the inter locuter)
*Discursive challenges (when doubts are produced)
*Metalingual function: (refers to codes within which sign may
be interpreted)
*Phatic function: contact between sender and addressee
(lend me your ear)
*Poetic function: focused on the message for its own sake)
ALL FUNCTIONS ARE IN COMPLEX RELATIONSHIP WITH
ONEANOTHER NOT IN ISOLATION

7. Communication and Performance
• Wittgensteinian (1958)
- Language game: language and actions woven
together
- To speak is to make a move in the language
game / utterances are governed by rules /
subject to normative assessments (message
received or failed)

8. Communication and Performance – cont.
• Austin (1979)
- Sole business of any utterance is to be true or at least to be
false
- All assertions are declarative statements in terms of their
truth or falsity
- Non declarative (interrogatives or imperatives) are parasitic
upon the declarative use of language
- Examples: I appologize (stepping on the toe); I name this
ship Queen Elizabeth; I bet you six pence it will rain
tomorrow.
- Two types of linguistic acts: locutionary acts(performatives)
and illocutionary (constatives) / {performative deception,
distortion or prevention – ex. I welcome you / but treat
badly when somebody enters}
- Third type: Perlocutionary:convincing, scaring, enlightening
{psychological consequences}

9. Mind and Language

10. Mind and Language – cont…
• Much of the language function is processed in
several association areas of the brain and there
are two well-defined vital for human
communication are dominant hemisphere, 97%
important for language processing, between
auditory and visual cortex, posterior section of
the lobe is in charge of most of language
comprehension. {Carl Wernicke 1874 &
Broca – production of speech, conceptual
semantics by Jackendoff 1976, lexical semantics-what
words denote Pustejovsky 1995)

11. Mind and Language cont……

12. Traditions in Philosophy of Language
• Charles Taylor (1985)
Two different Semantic traditions
i. Designative tradition: denotation of word-object
based on epistemology (knowledge,
believe, truth, justification, understanding)
cognitive, objectivist, descriptivist
A] naturalists; exhaustive accounts of language
B] nominalists; general application to the object
/properties [Existentialism]
ii. Expressive tradition: developed by Romantic
philosophers in 19th Century [who we are, how
we think, how we live.] Intensionalism

13. Philosophical models of language
learning
• Kripke S.A. (1982) & Quine Wv (1953);
-holistic view of language /
-pragmatic approach /
- Mathmatical logic
- Metaphysics
- Set theory (Algebra / all mathematical
objects)

14. Conversation Functions & analysis
• Crystal D. (1997)
A. Eight functions of language i.e to communicate
(primary function)
i. Express emotion (swearing), ii social interaction (bless you) iii.
Use of sounds (cheeeeeng by children especially) iv.
Environmental control (spell), v. record facts vi to think with vii.
Express identity (demonstration) viii. Manipulate language
(humor, satire etc.)
B. Conversation Analysis
• Turn-taking
• Constructing sequences
• Identifying and repairing problems
• Employing gaze and movement
• Conversational settings

15. References
• Medina, J. (2005) Language; Key Concepts in
Philosophy, Continuum, London
• Harley, T.A. (2008) The Psychology of
Language, Psychology Press,
New York